U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who recently launched his gubernatorial campaign, is urging his red state to follow the lead of other Republican-controlled states by announcing redistricting plans ahead of the crucial 2026 midterm elections.
In a recent interview, Norman called on the South Carolina General Assembly to redraw the state’s district boundaries, arguing that such changes would better reflect the Republican majorities in both the State House and Senate.
“We have Republican supermajorities in South Carolina. Let’s use them to create more competition in our congressional seats. I have no doubt Republicans can be successful in every part of our state,” Norman told Fox News. Under his plan, Norman argued that South Carolina’s congressional races would become “more competitive” and could ultimately “move our House delegation from 6-1 to 7-0.”
“That will help increase Republican control of Congress and help President Trump pass his agenda. Every vote counts toward a conservative Speaker Mike Johnson rather than a liberal Speaker Hakeem Jeffries of New York City,” the congressman said.
Although Norman did not reveal specifics about his proposed redistricting map, he directly called out longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, the state’s sole Democratic congressman, by name. “Jim Clyburn is a nice man and I respect him. But he is a liberal Democrat who helped put Joe Biden in the White House,” Norman said. “That’s not the kind of representation South Carolina needs.”
Clyburn, a staunch supporter of former President Biden, is widely credited with helping Biden secure the Democratic primary in 2020—a victory that propelled him ahead of a crowded field and set the course for his eventual election. At 85, Clyburn has represented South Carolina’s Sixth Congressional District since 1993.
The 6th district was originally gerrymandered in the early 1990s to enhance representation for Black residents, making it the state’s only majority-black district. However, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from Louisiana challenging the constitutionality of congressional districts drawn primarily based on race.
Norman’s call for redistricting follows a wave of similar efforts announced by Republican-led states. In Texas, Democrats recently fled the state to prevent a vote on a new map designed to eliminate five Democrat-held seats. Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Florida are considering redistricting to eliminate Democrat seats as well.
